Extendible clothes hanger

ABSTRACT

An extendable clothes hanger includes a base and two symmetric brace members. The base includes a hanging hook and has front and rear surfaces that are recessed to form channels extending in an inclined manner from opposite ends of the base toward a central portion and each having an inner face that defines a plurality of spaced positioning holes. Each brace member includes an elongate member that is bent to form two symmetric bars connected at one end that is curved downward slightly and having opposite ends bent inward to form barbs. The brace members are received in the channels with the barbs selectively and detachably received in the positioning holes. The brace members are extendible out of and/or retractable into the channels to adjust a distance between each brace member and the base so as to realize adjustment of length of the hanger for hanging clothes of various sizes.

(a) TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to an extendible clothes hanger, and more particularly to an extendible clothes hanger, which allows for adjustment of the length of the clothes hanger through simple operation of fitting and positioning so that a single hanger can accommodate clothes of various sizes.

(b) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

A clothes hanger is often made of plastics or wood and comprises a support section and a hanging hook mounted to the support section. Clothes can be positioned on and retained by the support section and the hanging hook may be positioned on and engage a rack or hanging bar inside a clothes closet or any other suitable sites. The conventional clothes hanger is of a fixed size and the length of the hanger cannot be adjusted to be fit for clothes of different sizes. Thus, for clothes of different sizes, such as clothes for children, men, or women, hangers of various sizes must be used, otherwise clothes held on hangers of improper sizes may get distorted or deformation. This causes an undesired economic burden to the general consumers. In view of this problem, the present invention aims to provide an extendible clothes hanger that overcomes the size problem of the conventional clothes hangers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an extendible clothes hanger, which allows for adjustment of the length of the clothes hanger through simple operation of fitting and positioning so that a single hanger can accommodate clothes of various sizes and make the use of the hanger easy and convenient.

The extendable clothes hanger of the present invention comprises a base and two symmetric brace members, wherein the base comprises a hanging hook and has front and rear surfaces that are recessed to form channels that are extended in an inclined manner from opposite ends of the base toward a central portion of the base and each having a substantially vertical inner face that defines a plurality of spaced positioning holes. Each of the brace members comprise an elongate member that is bent to form two symmetric bars that are connected at one end by a bent connection portion that is curved downward slightly. The bars have tip ends that are bent inward to form barbs. The brace members are respectively received in the channels with the barbs selectively and detachably received in the positioning holes to complete the hanger. The brace members are extendible out of and/or retractable into the channels of the base to adjust a distance between the curved connected end of each brace member and the base so as to realize adjustment of length of the hanger for hanging clothes of various sizes.

In the extendible clothes hanger of the present invention, the base has a bottom to which a hook is mounted and extends frontward by a predetermined length for suspending thereon neck ties, waist belts, or scarf or other garment accessories.

In the extendible clothes hanger of the present invention, the brace members form successive wavy configurations to provide successive bent sections that provide an effect of skidding to prevent light clothes from sliding off the hanger.

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the extendible clothes hanger of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the extendible clothes hanger of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, showing a different form of brace members of the hanger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, which are respectively a perspective view, an exploded view, and a cross-sectional view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, the extendible clothes hanger of the present invention comprises a base 1 and two symmetrically arranged brace members 2 movably mounted to opposite ends of the base. In the instant embodiment, the base 1 has a top having a central portion in a lengthwise direction thereof on which a hanging hook 11 is mounted. The base 1 has front and rear surfaces, each of which has opposite end sections that are recessed to respectively define two channels 12, each having an inner face, which is substantially vertical in the normal use of the clothes hanger, with a plurality of spaced positioning holes 13 defined in the inner face. The inner faces of the channels 12 are set to incline inwards from the ends of the base 1 toward the central portion of the base 1. In other words, each channel 12 has an outer end that is narrower than an inner end of the channel 12. The base 1 also has a bottom having a central portion on which a hook 14 is mounted and extends frontward by a suitable length.

Each of the brace members 2 comprises an elongate member, which in the instant embodiment is formed by bending a length of wire, such as a steel wire, to form two symmetric and opposite bars 21, which are connected to each other at one end by the bent portion of the wire, which is, preferably, slightly curved downward. An opposite end of each bar 21 is bent inward to form a barb 22.

To assemble the above discussed components, the barbs 22 of the bars 21 are respectively received in the channels 12 of the base 1 with the barbs 22 selectively and detachably fit into the positioning holes 13 so as to complete the assembling of the hanger. The bars 21 of the brace members 2 are extendible out of and/or retractable into the channels 12 of the base 1 in the lengthwise direction and selectively positioned in the positioning holes 13 so that the distance between the base 1 and the curved connected end of each brace member 2 is adjustable, which realizes adjustment of the overall length of the hanger to fit for clothes of various sizes. The hook 14 provided on the bottom of the base 1 can support neck ties, waist belts, or scarf or other garment accessories to suspend thereon.

In the previous discussed adjustment operation, since the channels 12 are inclined from the ends of the base 1 toward the central portion of the base 1, and since the bars 21 of the brace members 2 are arrange to converge toward each other from the curved connected ends toward the barbed ends 22, the barbed ends 22 of the brace members 2 can be tightly held within the respectively channels 12.

Referring to FIG. 4, which shows an exploded view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, the extendible clothes hanger of the second embodiment of the present invention comprises a base 1, which has a reduced top and an expanded bottom so as to show a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape. Again, the base 1 has front and rear surfaces, each of which has opposite end sections that are recessed to respectively define channels 12. Each channel 12 has an inner face, which is substantially vertical and forms a plurality of spaced positioning holes 13. Two brace members 2 are respectively coupled to the ends of the base 1 and each brace member 2 is composed of two symmetrically arranged bars 21, of which one end is connected by a bent portion and is slightly curved downward and opposite ends that form barbs 22 by being bent inwards.

To assemble the above discussed components, the bars 21 are respectively received in the channels 12 of the base 1 with the barbs 22 selectively fit into the positioning holes 13 so as to complete the assembling of the hanger. The bars 21 of the brace members 2 are extendible out of and/or retractable into the channels 12 of the base 1 in the lengthwise direction and selectively positioned in the positioning holes 13 so that the distance between the base 1 and the curved connected end of each brace member 2 is adjustable, which realizes adjustment of the overall length of the hanger to fit for clothes of various sizes.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, exploded views of extendible clothes hangers constructed in accordance with a third embodiment and a fourth embodiment of the present invention are shown, wherein the extendible clothes hangers are of a cross-sectional shape having conic top and bottom portions and a rectangle. Again, the base 1 has front and rear surfaces each of which has opposite end sections that are recessed to respectively define channels 12, which movably receive brace members 2 therein. The brace members 2 are extendible out of and/or retractable into and selectively positioned and retained in the channels 12 of the base 1 so as to realize adjustment of the overall length of the hanger to fit for clothes of various sizes.

Referring to FIG. 7, an exploded view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with an other embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein two brace members 2 are movably coupled to a base and each brace member 2 has a rear end section that form successive wavy configuration to provide a successively bent section 23, functioning to prevent undesired skidding and thus preventing light clothes from sliding off the hanger.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 

1. An extendible clothes hanger, comprising: a base, which has a top having a central portion on which a hanging hook is mounted, the base having front and rear surfaces that are respectively recessed to form channels, each channel having a substantially vertical inner face that defines a plurality of spaced positioning holes; and two brace members, each of which comprises an elongate member that is bent to form a connected end and two symmetrical bars, each bar having an end forming an inward projecting barb; wherein the bars of the brace members are respectively received in the channels and the baths are selectively and detachably received in the positioning holes to form the hanger, and wherein the bars of the brace members are extendible out of and retractable into and positioned and retained in the channels of the base so as to realize adjustment of length of the hanger for hanging clothes of various sizes.
 2. The extendible clothes hanger according to claim 1, wherein each of the channels inclines from an end of the base toward a central portion of the base to securely hold the brace member in the channel.
 3. The extendible clothes hanger according to claim 1, wherein the base has a bottom to which a hook is mounted and extends frontward by a predetermined length for suspending thereon neck ties, waist belts, or scarf or other garment accessories.
 4. The extendible clothes hanger according to claim 1, wherein the brace members form successive wavy configurations to provide successive bent sections that provide an effect of skidding to prevent clothes from sliding off the hanger. 